Though I love my Nars velvet lip pencil in Dolce Vita (very much), finding a cheaper alternative that does it would be great. I enjoy using Nars product yet their price tag is not always the most pleasant for the wallet. I truly believe spending a bit more money on a good quality product is always better than buying lots of cheaper stuff you (well your skin) won’t like.

For lipsticks, it is another story, really there is a lot of good cheaper brand out there who are killing it in the lipstick department (Maybelline, Rimmel, even L’oreal). Seing this Maybelline “color drama” intense velvet lip pencil in my supermarket, made me immediately think of the Nars one. A comparison is therefore a must:

The textures are really similars though the maybelline one might be a little more creamier. My first application of the latter went almost wrong: I used it the way i would use the Nars. One advise: A little goes a long way!

Both are creamy and on overall not too drying. Keep in mind a matte pencil will always dry out the lips a little bit. use a balm the night before, and it will be fine!

The opacity is also more greater in the maybelline one which doesn’t necessarily easien the application. Two coats are necessary for the Nars one, only one for the maybelline. Which is maybe the reason why then, the Nars has a more precise application, the maybelline is for me a lipstick in a pen, not so much of a lip pencil. I normally use the Nars one under a gloss to even out my upper lip shape, this application would definitely be more difficult with the maybelline one. It is more of a lipstick really.

In my opinion, the color range of the Nars one is more interesting, though the maybelline one is available in nice colors, maybe not as unique. However for a fraction of a price, Maybelline did a very good job at creating a dupe, or a similar product available for a wider community and with a price point a lot more accessible. The Nars one is beautiful as well, but for me Nars stays a brand that is not as readily available but you need to know if make-up is a passion for you and you have a bit more money to put in a lip pencil/lipstick.

The Nars matte velvet lip pencil in Dolce Vita retails for 25€

The Maybelling Color Drama intense Velvet lip pencil retails for 8€ in France (But you might be able to mind it cheaper)